Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
This Caesar salad recipe with homemade garlic croutons and a creamy Caesar dressing (with or without anchovies) makes an easy main or favorite side salad for a crowd.
Servings 10
Ingredients
- For the Caesar Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mashed anchovies (or anchovy paste)
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- ¼ tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
- For the Garlic Croutons
- 4 cups bread cubes cut into ¾ inch squares (from a sturdy bread like sourdough)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the Caesar Salad
- 8 cups romaine lettuce hearts rinsed and patted dry
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese cut into ribbons
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the Caesar Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a small glass canning jar with a fitted lid and shake well to combine. Or, add to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.
- For the Garlic Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat until the garlic begins to turn golden and becomes fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful the garlic doesn’t burn or it will taste bitter. Strain or pick the garlic cloves out of the oil and discard or save for another use.
- Drizzle the oil over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Scatter onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the bread cubes are golden, flipping the cubes occasionally.
- Remove from the oven and add back to the bowl. Toss with the parsley and salt and pepper and set aside to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- For the Caesar Salad
- Chop or tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with ⅓ cup of the Caesar dressing and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle with half of the grated Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of the croutons and toss again.
- Top with the rest of the grated Parmesan, Parmesan ribbons, and more croutons as desired. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Notes
If you prefer to omit the anchovies from the salad dressing, substitute the anchovies for an additional 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice instead.
Store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Store the leftover croutons in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.
Store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Store the leftover croutons in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.